The Spark Gap - Episode 25
James Lewis, technical marketing director at Kemet Electronics, joins the show to explain the physics and selection of capacitors, covering ceramic (X5R, X7R, C0G), tantalum, and aluminum types. He details how DC bias, temperature coefficients, and piezoelectric effects impact real-world performance, explaining why lower-rated voltage ceramics lose significant capacitance under bias. Lewis also discusses the transition from manganese dioxide to polymer cathodes in tantalum capacitors to prevent explosions during reflow, and offers design tips for bypass networks and noise reduction.